Health experts encourage Pinays to get early screening vs. cervical cancer

Health experts on Friday encouraged Filipinas to get early screening against cervical cancer in order to get early diagnosis and treatment that can help prevent this disease.

Gynecologic oncologist Dr. Cecilia Llave emphasized the importance of early screening, despite not showing any signs and symptoms of cervical cancer.

“It is very important that you are screened even if wala kang signs and symptoms and in order to save women’s lives, I think number one is healthy living then vaccination. Early screening kahit wala pang nararamdaman and early diagnosis and treatment can save lives of our women,” Llave said at the Department of Health (DOH) Kapihan forum.

“The nice thing about cervical cancer [is that it] is treatable when diagnosed early. It is very preventable so have yourself screened now,” she added.

Llave said among the cervical cancer risk factors are early sexual contact, low resistance, having many children, and having a history of sexually transmitted diseases.

She described cervical cancer as a “very quiet disease” and “silent killer” as many women do not have symptoms in the early stages of the disease.

However, the late signs and symptoms of the disease include bleeding especially after coitus, difficulty of urination, difficulty of defecation, hypogastric, and low back pains.

The World Health Organization (WHO) mandates screening every three to five years even without signs and symptoms, according to Llave.

Llave said they recommended women to get screened from ages 25 to 65.

“Kahit walang nararamdaman, magpa-screen na at 25 especially when sexually active. [Also] you don’t need sexual penetration in order to get the disease,” she advised.

(Even if you don't have signs and symptoms, get screened at age 25 especially when you are sexually active. And also you don't need sexual penetration in order to get the disease.)

Meanwhile, Dr. Jan Llevado, DOH Cancer Control and Mental Health Division division chief, advised women to get the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV), saying that it is safe and effective to prevent cervical cancer.

“Kung ang mga kababaihan natin pumupunta sa isang health center for other services, isama ninyo na yung pagtanong sa cervical cancer screening and even to have clinical breast examination kasi dapat talaga very important na maaga natin madetect itong mga sakit na ito,” Llevado said.

(If our women go to a health center for other services, you might also ask about cervical cancer screening and even clinical breast examination because it is very important that we detect these diseases early.)

“Do not be afraid of vaccination kasi it has been there for many years already, it has been tested not just HPV vaccination but even COVID lahat tayo nagpabakuna. Huwag po kayong matakot,” she added.

(Do not be afraid of vaccination because it has been there for many years already, it has been tested not just for HPV vaccination but even COVID, we have all been vaccinated. Do not be afraid.)

The month of May has been declared Cervical Cancer Prevention Awareness Month in the Philippines. According to Guard Against HPV, a 2019 study by the HPV Information Centre showed that 7,190 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed annually in the Philippines.

In 2019, the DOH assured the public that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective in preventing cervical cancer. — LA, GMA Integrated News